Community Shorts
Nurses celebrated
At the VNA Nurses Week breakfast are (from left) Bob Tonti, CEO; Jessica von Mehren, daughter of John and Sharon von Mehren; and Sandie Corr-Dolby, clinical director. Photo courtesy of Kristin Buck
On Monday, May 11, the Vineyard Nursing Association (VNA) honored their nurses with an appreciation breakfast during National Nurses Week. The VNA also dedicated their clinic room to the late Marsha Campbell and John and Sharon von Mehren, who were all dedicated to the work and mission of the VNA.
Walk of support
Saturday, May 9, was the 5th annual Martha's Vineyard Goes Pink Walk for Breast Cancer and Support Islanders Living With Cancer. To benefit the Martha's Vineyard Cancer Support Group and The Susan G. Komen Foundation, the 9-mile route took participants from the Little Bridge in Oak Bluffs to the Edgartown Light and back.
(From left) Martha's Vineyard Goes Pink volunteers Sarah Aliberti, Sara Ahren, Diana Bardwell, and Andrea Dello Russo.
(From left), Yvette Peterson, Kathie Gibbs, and Tricia Bennett stride along Beach Road on Saturday. Photos by M.C. Wallo
A Band takes top honors
The All-Island Junior High A Band won the highest honors at the Great East Music Festival in West Springfield on Friday, May 1, and took home the platinum award. Under the direction of Julie Schilling and Ruth Scudere-Chapman, the band is comprised of seventh and eighth graders. This is the third time the band has received the award in eight years.
Celebrating Marcy
A celebration of friendship for Marcy Slater, who died on May 1, 2008, is this Sunday at 2 pm at the Martha's Vineyard Hebrew Center. Songs, poems, stories will be followed by a high tea. For more information, contact Jan Freeman at 413-374-1799, jbf227@gmail.com or Bruce Slater at 508-645-9236, bruceslater1@gmail.com.
Cooking for Vitality
This weekend, May 15, 16, and 17, Jan Buhrman of Kitchen Porch catering company and John Bagnulo, Ph.D., a nutritionist, will host Cooking for Vitality, a workshop on good, healthy cooking. Participate in one, two, or all three days for $75/day, or $175 for the weekend. For more information, call 508-645-5000 or visit kitchenporch.com.
Risky business: Minnesingers take a cue from Tom Cruise for their energetic performance of Bob Seger's "Old Time Rock and Roll."
Minnesingers rock the PAC
The Minnesingers' Spring Concert, held last weekend, felt like an old-time rock and roll spring concert - a tribute to Martha's Vineyard Regional High School's 50th graduating class. The Saturday and Sunday performances, held at the school's Performing Arts Center, featured an extraordinary program of music through the decades, selected by director Jan Wightman. Among the songs performed were The Beatles' "Revolution," The Beach Boys' "Good Vibrations," Three Dog Night's "Joy to the World," and Madonna's "Material Girl."
Nick Jerome and Kia Minor lead the group in a rendition of "Smooth," by Carlos Santana and Rob Thomas at last weekend's Minnesingers' Spring Concert at the PAC. Photos by Ralph Stewart
Ana Carvalho belts out "Oh Happy Day."
It's worth it
The "Big Night Out" benefit auction for the Vineyard Montessori School is this Friday, from 7 to 11 pm. Held at Farm Neck Golf Club in Oak Bluffs, there are live and silent auctions, including a Dolphin Bay Resort Vacation in Shell Beach, Calif.; hors d'oeuvres, and desserts by Rickard's Bakery. For tickets, visit ticketsmv.com.
Rare opportunity
Another Sheriff's Meadow walk is coming up this Saturday at Wade's Field and Priscilla Hancock Meadow in Chilmark. Not generally open to the public, the properties feature sandplain grassland that may be in full bloom in time for the walk. To register and for directions, call 508-693-5207.
Nancy Jephcote, playing her violin, leads the young musicians through a piece at last Friday's All-Island Elementary String Concert.
Music lovers
It was a grand night for stringing. Nearly 200 students from Island elementary schools, including three student orchestras (grades one through eight), performed in the All-Island Elementary String Concert this past Friday, May 8. Taking the stage in the Performing Arts Center of the Martha's Vineyard Regional High School, they put on a fine demonstration of musicianship. Under the leadership of All-Island String teacher/musician Nancy Jephcote, the evening was a grand success by all measures - in sound, sight, and spirit.
Chelsea Pennebaker instructs beginners in the Suzuki program, while Ms. Jephcote works with advanced musicians. The concert was made lively by the enthusiasm and the collective enjoyment of both the musicians and the appreciative audience.
Hannah Hagen (left) and Annie Adams pay close attention to the conductor as they play. Photos by Ralph Stewart
Watching Bianca deSouza (left) and Camilla Prata, it's clear being in an orchestra is fun.
Coltrane Leport (left) and Chris Mayhew find a moment to confer.
A winsome Angela Hayes seems to capture the mood of the music.
Fun for all
Mayfest, the annual fundraiser for the Island Children's School, is on for Saturday, May 16, from 10 am to 2 pm, rain or shine. Fun for children and adults, there are pony rides, face painting, crafts and games; for adults, a silent auction and yard sale. Admission is $3.50 for children; free for parents. For more information, call 508-693-5815.
Benefit for Tom
This Sunday, friends of Tom Osmers, West Tisbury's shellfish constable, will gather at the Ag Hall in West Tisbury from 5 to 10 pm to raise money to help defray Tom's medical expenses. A potluck dinner will be followed by live music by Ballywho, Squash Meadow, Jemima James, Nina Violet, Willy Mason, and Johnny Hoy. For more information, email krishanacollins@aol.com.
Featherstone
Featherstone Center for the Arts is busy this week with both an opening reception and a continuing show that runs through May 27. New this week in the Pebble Gallery is Island Impressions, oil landscapes by Martha's Vineyard Regional High School student Loren Gibson.
Travels and Celebrations, a group photography show, features dozens of Island shutterbugs, including Ralph Stewart, Peter Simon, Betsy Burmeister, and Nicole Friedler. Call Featherstone for more information: 508-693-1850.
